


What We Can Achieve

by Malakia



Series: Naruto Drabbles and Short Stories [35]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Gen, Happy Ending, Kirigakure | Hidden Mist Village
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:14:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23428318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Malakia/pseuds/Malakia
Summary: The coup successful, Zabuza takes a moment in appreciating what has been achieved.
Series: Naruto Drabbles and Short Stories [35]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1124142
Comments: 1
Kudos: 19





	What We Can Achieve

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Squiggly_lines](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squiggly_lines/gifts).



> this is a gift for my #1 enabler and one of the first friends I ever made in the Naruto fandom. Happy Birthday, Squiggles! I hope you enjoy!

Zabuza watched Haku as the boy played with another group of children. The sound of their laughter filled the air, something he would never imagine he would hear in the streets of Kirigakure. Gods, he didn’t even think he would be standing here after the crazy coup they had all pulled. 

“It’s nice, isn’t it?”

He looked to his right where Mei smiled pleasantly from under her Kage hat. Next to her, Kisame smirked with sharp teeth showing.

Zabuza tilted his head, feigning ignorance. 

Mei laughed at him. “You really can’t fool anyone.”

The wielder of the Executioner Blade snorted and folded his arms over his chest. “Don’t know what you are going on about.”

Both Kisame and Mei laughed at him before they started to walk away. 

Throwing one last look over his shoulder at Haku, Zabuza followed the duo. He decided not to call out to the boy and ruin his fun. 

He joined the other side of Mei as they walked down the busy street. People sold their wares openly while there was the chatter of the market. There was work above and around all the stalls on many of the buildings that were damaged in their coup. 

As they walked, people bowed respectfully but rather than the look of fear haunting their expressions, they wore big smiles and had warm light in their eyes.

Sometimes a villager would stop and talk to Mei in greeting or on a problem within the village. Kisame and Zabuza would stand back a small distance but were always vigilant. 

During one of these interactions, Kisame spoke, “This is really nice.” 

Zabuza glanced at his fellow swordsman. Kisame waved a hand to the city.

“The place doesn’t feel heavy with fear,” he paused. “Of lies.”

Zabuza huffed. “Being around Mei has made you soft.” 

“Nah.” The Samehada user lightly punched Zabuza in the shoulder. “Just voicing what you are thinking.” 

“Soft,” Zabuza growled. 

Kisame rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say.” 

Zabuza didn’t say anymore but looked around the city again as if he was looking for any threats. Instead, he studied the people, their relaxed bodies and open expressions. Of laughter filling the air as children ran the streets with no weapons in their hands. Because now they  _ could.  _ The promise Mei had vowed to him when she offered to combine their manpower with their separate coups were now coming to fruition.

“We still have some ways to go,” he stated when he turned his attention back to Mei. Out of the corner of his eye, Kisame’s smile never faltered.

“It’ll be an interesting challenge,” the man countered. 

“...One that I hope you and Mei can handle.” 

Kisame’s smile waned a little. He looked toward Zabuza with a series expression to study him. But Zabuza still looked directly ahead. 

“Ah...” Kisame folded his arms over his chest as he looked back at Mei. “Your thinking about the message Konoha sent.” 

“Mei thinks sending delegate would be good too,” Zabuza reminded.

“An arranged marriage though seems a bit much,” Kisame protested. 

Zabuza shrugged. “We need the allies.” The words felt weird coming from his lips. Something he would have never considered before in his life two years ago. 

Kisame frowned. “Can’t you just have a good faith thing since you are friends with some of them?” 

“My  _ comrades,”  _ Zabuza emphasized, “will trust me. The village’s Hokage might not so much.” 

“And yet he is the teacher of some of your  _ comrades,”  _ Kisame fired back. 

Zabuza rolled his eyes. “Politics are politics.”

A silent stretched between them. 

“Have you talked to Mei about it?” Kisame asked.

“...Not yet,” the sword user admitted.

“And what about Haku?” 

There was a twitch in between Zabuza’s shoulders. “...I figure he can stay here.”

Kisame guffawed. The act drew some attention to them. Mei raised an eyebrow but Zabuza waved her off as Kisame tried to calm down. 

When Kisame’s laughter died down, he wore a huge smirk. “If you think Haku is going to  _ let  _ you leave without him,” he snickered, “you have another thing coming.”

“He will if I order,” Zabuza calmly stated. He had trained Haku to follow his every direction after all. In the past, if there was even a hint of hesitation from the boy it would spell ruin for him. Having a rare Kekkei Genkai was dangerous in Kiri and the only reason he had survived as long as he did was by listening to Zabzua’s orders.

Kisame hummed. “We’ll see,” he replied flippantly. 

Before Zabuza could respond Mei came back over to the two of them. 

She sighed quietly with tired and irritated eyes. “I swear,” she growled, “if one more person approaches me to talk but doesn’t look at my face I will punch someone.”

Both swordsmen chuckled. “Time to head back to the office then?” Kisame teased.

“I think that would be for the best,” Mei chuckled after a second. “Let’s take a long way, however. So we can check on the western part of the city.” 

Both men nodded. When Mei turned to lead the way, there was a familiar cry. “Master Zabuza!”

The trio stopped and looked behind them to see Haku running up to them. The boy’s eyes were wide when he came to stop right in front of Zabuza. 

He quickly bowed. “I’m sorry!” he cried, voice a little wobbly. “I didn’t realize you had left without me!” 

Zabuza grunted to resist the urge to say that he didn’t mind. He reached out and briefly patted the boy’s head. “It’s fine.” 

Haku looked up at him, eyes slightly wet and full of worry. 

To put him at ease, Zabuza waved a hand. “I am not your enemy,” he offered as an explanation, “and gave no indication of an attack. So it makes sense you wouldn’t have felt me walk away.

“I also was the one that told you to ask them if they needed anything. You were doing your duty of ensuring the protection and needs of those kids.”

Haku swallowed and nodded while his body relaxed. The distress on his face eased. “Of course, Master Zabuza.”

The Executioner Blade wielder grunted again and turned away with the small knot in his chest that had formed when he first saw Haku releasing. He didn’t miss though when the boy’s hand reached out as if to grab his pant leg but stopped at the last minute and went back to his side. 

Ignoring the small twinge in his heart at the movement, Zabuza looked at the two other adults. Both Mei and Kisame wore smiles- though the Mizukage’s was exasperated while Kisame’s was more knowing.

He sent both of them a glare. Mei huffed and turned away again to walk. Yet when Zabuza fell in step by Kisame’s side, the man had the gall to mutter, “See? We’ll see.”

Zabuza sent him a sharp look but Kisame just laughed as the two of them followed Mei. 

The comment, however, didn’t seem to go unnoticed as Haku tilted his head and Mei even looked back at them with a raised eyebrow. 

“Ignore him.” Zabuza resisted the urge to throttle one of the only people he considered a true friend as the man wore an infuriating smirk. “He’s being stupid.”

Kisame threw his head back in laughter. “Say that to my face the next time we spar.” He looked at Mei and oh-so-casually mentioned, “Also, Zabuza has something he would like to talk to you about.”

“Later!” Zabuza snapped when he saw Mei opening her mouth. He gave Kisame another sharp look. “And you need to learn to shut your mouth!”

The man had the audacity to laugh again.

When Zabuza turned back to Mei and promptly a solid pit filled in his stomach. Mei’s eyes were assessing, taking him apart. The hairs on the back of his neck stood and he resisted the urge to grab the handle of his blade. He silently cursed Kisame because now it was going to be like calming an active volcano in trying to convince Mei to let him be the delegate for Konoha. 

He groaned and when he glanced at Kisame, the man looked very pleased with himself. Zabuza rolled his eyes. 

Then Mei smiled but it was a bit too predatory for Zabuza’s liking. “I look forward to what you need to speak to me about,” she announced. Before the swordsman could respond, she turned and began to walk.

Zabuza sighed heavily. “You did that on purpose.” He didn’t even bother to state it as a question.

“Damn right I did,” the Samehada wielder cackled. He placed his hands on his hips and began to walk after Mei.

“I hate you,” Zabuza growled. There really wasn’t much heat to it though.

“Master Zabuza?”

The man looked down where Haku looked at him with wide, worried eyes. Zabuza felt the twitches of a smile on his lips but kept his mouth firmly together, even though it couldn’t be seen through the bandages on his lower face. Because even though the boy looked so distressed, Zabuza didn’t have to snap at him to try and keep his face neutral. Haku could laugh and smile, just as any other person could now. Kiri was also already making strides, thanks to Mei, on accepting those that have a Kekkei Genkai and there wouldn’t be fear that the boy would be killed for his abilities. He would have a chance to  _ grow up.  _

Rather than say any of that, or even pull the boy into a hug, he waved away the worry and started walking. Haku quickly matched his steps and the two of them caught up to Kisame and Mei. 

As they continued to walk the streets, Zabuza let out a soft sigh. The future was finally looking bright and Kiri could step away from its bloody past. As for himself? Well... he liked his odds better now. 

He knew he didn’t have to question each day whether he was going to die or not. As for the Konoha delegation... he would have to figure that out later. He first had to survive Kisame’s determination and Mei’s scheming to keep him here.

He did, after all, have someone in Konoha that was waiting for him.

**Author's Note:**

> A sequel will be in the works but it will be for Rarepair Week 😉 Stay tuned! Also, Haku is a little bit younger than at the beginning of the series hence why he doesn't seem as skilled as a ninja.


End file.
